The Skinny: Oakland City Council Committee Preview, Feb. 11, 2014

>>> PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE – 6 p.m.TIMELINE FOR TAX MEASURE Oakland’s Measure Y, the parcel tax approved in 2004 to fund additional officers and other public safety programs, is up for renewal. The Public Safety Committee will recommend Tuesday a timeline for the measure’s reauthorization coming to the November ballot. The resolution calls for the committee to discuss a yet-to-be-composed draft of the ballot measure on June 10–a week after the June 3 primary–and bring it to the full council sometime in July, says a memo signed by Councilmember Noel Gallo.

>>> COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – 2 p.m.ROCKEFELLER GRANT Last year, Oakland received a 2-year, $1.2 million grant from the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities. The grant is to be allocated for the new position of chief strategist and resilience officer. The position is envisioned to help Oakland position itself for future development while creating a plan for it to withstand and thrive in the aftermath of a man-made or natural disaster occurring in Oakland. A city staff report estimates the new position will earn over $237,000 in salary and over $356,000 in benefits for two years. There is also a possibility the Rockefeller Foundation could fund the position for a third year, says a staff report.

BE AWARE City Hall critic Gene Hazzard and noted opponent of Oakland developer Phil Tagami, is going to flip his lid Tuesday afternoon. The CED committee discusses a new report on the progress of the sale and lease of a proposed 320-car downtown parking garage and four parcels near the Rotunda Building…In another Tagami-related project, a report on a mitigation plan regarding construction-related air quality issues at the Oakland Army Base project will be accepted…The committee will receive a report on last year’s Mayor’s Summer Job Program.

>>> FINANCE & MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE – 9:30 a.m.POLICE RADIO LEASE A recent staff report recommended the city replace its aging public safety radios. The Finance committee will discuss a resolution allowing the city administrator to enter a master agreement to finance upgrades not to exceed $27 million. The purchase would include over 2,200 radios and 30 control stations located across Oakland, says city staff. The estimated cost to lease the radios is $5.1 million annually for the next eight years.

>>> PUBLIC WORK COMMITTEE – 11:30 a.m.BART BIKE STATION A $531,000 Safe Routes to Transit grant awarded to the city in 2012 will be appropriate for the creation of a storefront bicycle station near the 19th Street BART station. Alameda Bicycle will operate the secured station which must be completed by the end of the year, as stipulated in the grant…A report on the state of parks in the city compiled by the Oakland Parks Coalition Community Report Card Report will be accepted.

>>> LIFE ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE – 4 p.m.WAG THE DOG The issue of dogs in Oakland was a huge issue over the last two years, yet one without much resolution. An amendment to the municipal code may allow for the designation of some city parks to facilitate dog owners to walk their pets on-leash or without. Owners are currently fined for walking their dogs in city parks, at least, ones in which no dedicated dog play areas exist.